As the weather warms up, turning on the ovens full blast can get stifling – not to mention expensive as the cost of living crisis rages on.
Finding nourishing, refreshing and satisfying recipes that don't require hours of cooking in the oven can both help you save money on your utility costs, and brings a touch of summer into our kitchens.
With this in mind, we reached out to some of our favourite chefs about their go-to energy-saving recipes.
Brian McDermott's mussels with dry cure bacon
"I would agree that presenting a pot of fresh mussels is still one of the best show stoppers for a gathering or entertaining in summer. Can be eaten outdoors with crusty bread to mop up all the natural mussels juice infused within."
Serves: 6
- 2kg mussels
- 4 rashers dry cured bacon
- 1 small onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- 50ml white wine
- 1 bay leaf
- 150ml cream
- Pinch black pepper
- Crusty bread for dipping
Method:
- Grill the bacon until crispy, then set aside. Wait until they've cooled, cut the bacon into strips.
- Place the mussels, garlic, bay leaf, onion and white wine in a large pod and over with a lid. Place on the stove for six minutes, shaking the pot a couple of times during the cooking.
- The mussels should have all opened, remove any that remain closed.
- Add the cream, pepper and chopped parsley and cook for a further two minutes. Remove from the heat and add the strips of bacon.
- Place in the middle of the table in the pot they were cooked in.
- Serve with crusty bread to soak up the scrumptious sauce.
Brian's Tip: If any mussels don’t open when cooked dispose of them!
Shane Smith's Ferrerro Rocher ice cream terrine
"One of the joys of summer months, you don't need to turn on the oven to make delicious desserts. With this recipe, you don’t even need an ice-cream machine. All you need is a mixing bowl, whisk, a bread tin, delicious ingredients and the patience for it to freeze overnight!
"This Ferrero Rocher ice-cream terrine is so simple to make and a guaranteed summer showstopper."
Serves: 8
No-churn ice-cream:
- 500ml single cream
- 1 tin condensed milk (397g)
- Dash vanilla extract
- 10 Ferrero Rocher
To garnish:
- 10 Ferrero Rocher
- Fresh raspberries
- Fresh basil
Method:
- Line a 2 lb loaf tin with cling film allowing some to hang over the sides.
- Whisk the cream in a large bowl until thick.
- To this, add the condensed milk and vanilla. Mix together.
- Crush 10 Ferrero Rocher and fold through.
- Spoon this mix into the lined bread tin and fold over the excess cling film to cover.
- Pop into the freezer overnight to firm up.
- To serve, remove from the tin and the clingfilm. Place on your serving dish and top the terrine with the remaining 10 Ferrero Rocher, fresh raspberries and basil.
- Serve immediately and enjoy
Top tip: Place your serving dish into the freezer 10 minutes before needed. This will stop the terrine from melting as fast.
Jolene and Lily Mae Cox's slow cooker chicken satay
"Sometimes we overlook the brilliance of using the slow cooker in summer, saving it for winter warmers. It's the perfect all-year-round appliance, simmering light seasonal dishes while we are out day-tripping.
"A timing plug can be a godsend for scheduling when you want your slow cooker to kick into action and to have that dinner ready when you walk in the door, there is nothing more beautiful than the smell of my slow cooker chicken satay wafting around the house after a day at the beach."
Serves: 4
- 4 boneless chicken thighs
- 1 onion (browned first)
- 2 crushed garlic cloves or a teaspoon of garlic paste
- 2 tablespoons curry powder
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce
- 3 tablespoons crunchy peanut butter
- 1 chicken or veg stock cube/pot
- 150ml water
Method:
- Brown your onion first, as this adds more flavour.
- Add all the other ingredients to your slow cooker. Give it a good mix.
- Place your lid on and cook for three hours on high, or six hours on low.
- When the chicken is cooked it will be so tender you will be able to break it up with your serving spoon! So simple and so delicious.
Arun Kapil's grilled lamb rack "choplets"
"As the weather improves and we look for the sun to shine down and brighten our days, there is a chance to get out of kitchen and cook in a way that doesn't need the expense of firing up the oven or hob. BBQ grilling is a really easy and super-efficient way to cook. Anything we can cook in an oven, air-fryer or grill can be made on the BBQ."
Serves: 4
1 rack of lamb, French trimmed, cut into individual chops (there's usually 8 to a rack)
Marinade:
- 1 sachet Green Saffron Madras blend
- 1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped fine
- 1 tsp red wine vinegar
- 2 tblsp rapeseed oil
Kichadi:
- 250g tapioca pearls also known as Japanese pearls, they are small white spheres
- 1 tsp rapeseed oil
- ½ fennel bulb, diced 20mm, fronds retained
- 1 medium carrot, peeled diced 10mm
- Juice of half a lemon
- Spice: 1 tsp cumin seeds whole, 1tsp fennel seeds whole, ½ tsp cayenne pepper or chilli powder
- Handful pistachios, de-shelled and hulled, lightly cracked
- 2 tblsp pomegranate seeds
- Small handful fresh cherries, de-stoned and halved (optional)
- Small handful mint leaves, sliced thinly
Method:
- Mix the marinade, coat the chops, set aside for at least 30 minutes before cooking.
- There's a bit of a knack to cooking the pearls, the aim is that they’ll turn translucent and not at all gloopy. This method should work for you, it does for me! Pour about 1 litre of water into a cooking pot and bring it to the boil, then pour in your tapioca pearls, immediately turn down the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the pearls from clumping.
- Turn off the heat. The water will be cloudy with starch and the pearls will still have a little white eye remaining.
- Cover the pot with its lid and leave for 8 to 10 minutes. The pearls are fully cooked when they’re thoroughly translucent.
- Strain and rinse under gentle-running cold water, then pour into a bowl and cover with cold water. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, gently mix the fennel, carrot and lemon juice, then add the spices, stir then set aside.
To serve:
- Light the coals on your BBQ and wait to cook until they turn a grey, ashy colour.
- Grill the chops turning them once for 4 to 5 minutes for medium rare or continue to cook until they’re as you like them. Set aside, keep warm and allow to rest for 10 minutes
- Drain the tapioca pearls well, mix through the spiced cooked vegetables, the pistachios, pomegranate seeds, the cherries and pour onto a large plate or charger, pop the cooked chops on top, pour over the resting juices, scatter with the fennel fronds, mint and enjoy!
